Need help - Exhaust port analysis and re-installation of Two Brothers exhaust

[adazine]

Looking at side view pictures of my bike, I noticed that the exhaust was hanging lower than other ones I've seen on the internet, so I did some research and sure enough it was not installed properly. I've now taken off the exhaust and looked into the ports and saw rust in port 1 and oil in port 4. I don't know anything about the engine other than to feed it gas, so I'm hoping our engine guru's could tell me why they all don't look the same inside. Thanks in advance for any information. Attached pictures aren't the best, but you can see what I am seeing.

When re-installing where is the high heat silicone applied? I bought anti seize for the threads too !



Ports 1 & 2



Ports 3 & 4

 

[sti491]

Hey Vince, sorry to hear about this problem. While it is very hard to internet diagnos, I did re-torque my custom home made exhaust (Marthy style) multiple times... at least 3 times as it sat when I was doing other things after the exhaust but it was still on stands, and once maybe two weeks after. Every time it required re-tightening to the same factory torque.

Why? Because the crushable header washer-gaskets smush (yes, that is a technical term) and then need to smush some more until they are happy. I can't recall if you said, but I think the exhaust was on the bike when you got it. Lots of peeps use the old washers/gaskets, which is no bueno. That is my guess. Your headers got just loose enough for those seals to leak and make the exhaust look crooked. It's either that or your headers are bent somehow?

I'll look up where I got my header gaskets. Unless there is an obvious reason why I am wrong with this guess, the first thing I would do I'd take out the old ones, install new ones, re-tourque a few times with within a couple hours, and then every time you are messing with that area of the bike.

You could also pull your plugs and see what they look like.. but if your headers were leaking, the plugs will likely clear themselves once you fix the exhaust.

Also, when you are putting them on, add a little bit of copper antiseize to the threads. You will thank me in 5 years when you have to remove them for some other repair . Trust me.

Good luck getting it fixed man.

My two cents. I hope that is what it is. I'll post where I got mine.

 

[sti491]

http://ftzracing.com/product/ftz-600-exhaust-gaskets/

 

[sti491]

I have never had to use high heat silicone

 

[adazine]

Thanks Rob. I will get new ones for the re-install. The guy who owned the bike before me didn't care to much to do this right and now I'm correcting this and a have corrected other things since I've owned the bike. Is the copper anti-seize the same as the aluminum? I also bought the high-temp copper silicone, but not sure how to apply in to the gaskets. The Two Brothers install manual isn't really that good for showing this step.

 

[adazine]

I have never had to use high heat silicone

You beat me to my post about this - lol !

 

[adazine]

http://ftzracing.com/product/ftz-600-exhaust-gaskets/

Thank you !

 

[sti491]

There are 2 types of antiseize. Nickle based, that you use on spark plugs and other bolts, and copper based you use on high heat applications like header bolts. Copper based is also conductive which is why you don't use it on plugs.

Personally, I would leave that silicone in the tube. Maybe for a slip-on fit that you can't not clamp tight enough, but not a header connection. Just my opinion

 

[sti491]

I also recommend to loosen the the muffler strap or any other exhaust system hanger bolts when you tighten the header bolts. Then, when you are done with the header clamps check how the rest of the system lines up, make adjustments if needed so when you tighten up everything there is little stress on it all.

 

[sti491]

Thank you !

I forgot when I responded, but later remembered, due to shipping cost from that source which was recommended on this forum, I ended up buying these on Ebay here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Gaskets-Yamaha-YZF600-YZF-R6-FZ1-FZ6-FZ6R-FZR1000-FZR400-3YF-14613-01-00/292244214265?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

These work for any year FZ6R despite what the listing says. Perfect fit.

Smear a small amount of grease (any grease) on the side of the gasket that meets the head to temporarily hold them in there before you slip the header ends on. If you don't, they just fall out. The grease just burns offf when when you start it and it doesn't make them hard to remove next time you remove the header.

These are like oil drain crush washers. You need new ones every time to remove them. A lot of people re-use, however. Not me.

 

[sti491]

The other thing I would do, which may not be necessary, is get a spray can of carburetor cleaner or intake cleaner (it doesn't matter). Put the little tube in the nozzle and spray the crap out of those exhaust ports. Then blast them out with compressed air.

Wear eye protection and try to be sure there is nothing, no dirt, rust, oil or any thing else in there when you are finished. I think that they will clean up easily. If not use a tooth brush, but be gentle around the valve stem seal.

This will assure it's clean when you put it together. And, the next time you remove the header, you can see if it looks crappy again, or its clean. Hopefully the latter, because if not it is something else causing it other than loose/leaking header gaskets.

When I removed my exhaust header for the first time in the bikes history, at 3,300 miles I think, my exhaust ports looked like a Japanese sewing machine. I was amazed how clean they were, actually. I didn't take a pic, but they were grey clean metal with no residue of any sort.

How many miles did you say were on your bike?

 

[adazine]

Thanks for the update on the gaskets. I didn't know whether or not to clean the ports and I will do so now with your advise. I figure while I have the pipes off I might as well clean everything at this point. The exhaust was quite discolored so I went ahead and cleaned them up. The two guys who owned this bike before me didn't treat the bike as well as I had thought and now I'm finding more and more things that need to be corrected. The bike now has 4900 on it, bought it with 4500. It runs strong, but I do want to make sure all is up to spec as I will hold onto this bike without any plans of selling it. Cheers!

 

[sti491]

Thanks for the update on the gaskets. I didn't know whether or not to clean the ports and I will do so now with your advise. I figure while I have the pipes off I might as well clean everything at this point. The exhaust was quite discolored so I went ahead and cleaned them up. The two guys who owned this bike before me didn't treat the bike as well as I had thought and now I'm finding more and more things that need to be corrected. The bike now has 4900 on it, bought it with 4500. It runs strong, but I do want to make sure all is up to spec as I will hold onto this bike without any plans of selling it. Cheers!
View attachment 39802

Wow that is shiney! What did you use to clean it? Wish my headers looked that good!!!!!

 

[adazine]

First I started with Bar Keepers Friend cleanser and polish, then cleaned with Dawn dish washing soap, then it was 400 grit sand paper on up to 1500 grit and finished with Blue Magic metal polish. The whole process took about two hours. It's not a mirror finish, but it does look quite nice and I'm happy with thee results. They will change color again with heat and at least now it will be more even then it was when I bought the bike - the pipes were never cleaned off when they were installed which made them look worse than they should have if they had.

 

[sti491]

Well, it looks freakin' awesome now!

 

[Marthy]

It's all good.
Few bit of hi-temp silicone hold the gasket in place, many of us have been doing it for a long time with no issue. Just make sure the 4 primary pipe sit at the right spot before tighten everything evenly.

 

[adazine]

It's all good.
Few bit of hi-temp silicone hold the gasket in place, many of us have been doing it for a long time with no issue. Just make sure the 4 primary pipe sit at the right spot before tighten everything evenly.

Thank you for that information. I've seen a video of an FZ-6R where they didn't even use the gaskets and in the Two Brothers instructions, it says to retain the gaskets - why not just say you need to reuse them or replace with new ones. Anyway, I'm glad I took them off completely to make sure all is well and it allowed me to make them look new again. Cheers !

 

[sti491]

Thanks to Martin now I know where the Hi Temp silicone goes! In my manual it says to use grease. I thought that was a little odd... it's a Haynes Manual, so I get Nm & grease, no ftlbs or silicone for me! The grease or silicone is not a gasket sealer as I read my manual. it's just to hold the gaskets there as you lift the header in place. I don't think you'd want them stuck in the recess next time you want to remove them.

Vince, once you get your gaskets, please remember to re-torque a couple times in the next few hours after installing, and at least once after the bike gets hot and cools down. I was really surprised. I think I re-torqued mine at least 3 times and every time required more tightening.

...wish my headers looked like that!

 

[adazine]

In search for more information I happened upon this video https://youtu.be/eeg1HivqAgg of a Two Brothers install - check out what the bike is !! Wasn't in the title so it was a random find. As I've heard, the torque for the bolts is 14 ft lbs, not sure if that is correct. I will use the hi-heat silicone and re-torque - thanks Marthy and Rob! Oh yeah, check out the last comment and remarks in the video. Cheers !

 

[sti491]

In search for more information I happened upon this video https://youtu.be/eeg1HivqAgg of a Two Brothers install - check out what the bike is !! Wasn't in the title so it was a random find. As I've heard, the torque for the bolts is 14 ft lbs, not sure if that is correct. I will use the hi-heat silicone and re-torque - thanks Marthy and Rob! Oh yeah, check out the last comment and remarks in the video. Cheers !

Was that guy wearing bedroom slippers with his custom riding shorts on his test ride?! To this day I will never understand why anyone would rev his bike or car up that high under no load. When my son was a teenager he had a Lexus SC300 we turbo'd. We met some of his friends at a restaurant. He was reving the piss out it to show off in the parking lot with all the blow off valve and turbo cool noises. As I was cringing, his harmonic balancer (on the end of the crankshaft, a heavy piece of round steel) comes flying off under the car and rolling about 50 MPH across the parking lot!. Miraculously nobody got hit.

It's a hilarious image in my head that we still laugh about this day.

Yes on 14lbs.